If you like something…

Author Notes: If you fear butter, this one's not for you, but if an occasional splurge is in your diet, potted shrimp is a great appetizer served on toast or crackers. This is traditionally served at room temperature but also makes a lovely butter sauce over roasted fish. - inpatskitchen

Serves 4 as an appetizer

1/2pound unsalted butter

2teaspoons fresh lemon juice

3teaspoons anchovy paste, divided 1 - 2

3 gratings nutmeg on a micro plane

1/2teaspoon white pepper

1tablespoon chopped parsley

1pound peeled and deveined shrimp, preferably from the Gulf of Mexico and chopped into small pieces

Clarify the butter by cutting it into cubes and very slowly melting it in a medium sauce pan. When it begins to foam , skim off as much of the "milk" as you can with a spoon and then pass the butter through a cheese cloth lined sieve into a bowl.

Reserve 1/4 cup of the clarified butter and add the rest to a medium skillet. Over low heat stir in one teaspoon of the anchovy paste, the nutmeg and the white pepper and stir and heat for about a minute. Stir in the chopped shrimp and continue to cook over the low heat for about 5 minutes until the shrimp are just barely cooked through.

Remove the skillet from the heat and let cool to room temperature. Once cooled stir in the parsley and remaining 2 teaspoons of the anchovy paste.

Pack the shrimp mixture into a 2 cup ramekin or crock. Cover and refrigerate until the butter hardens up a bit. Gently reheat the reserved 1/4 cup of butter until just spreadable and pour over the shrimp. Return, covered to the refrigerator.

At this point, refrigerate overnight or even for a few days before serving. To serve, remove from the fridge for at least two hours until that top layer of butter becomes spreadable. Serve with toast or water crackers.